VERITAS
by PerpetualSnare
Summary: This is a Christmas fluff story about a Barba/Cabot romance - includes how they met and a holiday proposal - will be two parts.
1. Chapter 1

Rafael Barba scanned the ARRIVALS screen for the most recent information on British Airways flight 117 with anxious eyes while trying not to be pushed out of the way by other eager bodies. His heart soared when the listing for BAW 117 popped up with a LANDED status in green letters next to it. Rafael disliked airports but on this particular day he had willingly braved the December bitterness and the holiday traffic in order to get to Kennedy airport by a quarter to four.

When Alex had informed Rafael that she would be making a legal aid trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo during the month of December, he had been disappointed to say the least. Rafael was certainly proud of the pro bono work that Alex was doing overseas, but this was their first Christmas season together as a couple and he had wanted to spend as much of it as possible with her. Furthermore, the area of Minova where Alex would be staying was notoriously dangerous for women. During the last few weeks, Rafael had been _extremely_ worried about her.

Rafael had been at loose ends all day. He had tried to make some progress on a book that Alex had given him for his last birthday, but he kept finding things to be distracted by. The thought of having Alex with him at night again had been on his mind _every_ day for the whole week. The first thing that Rafael had done upon waking up - _EVEN before making his beloved coffee _- was to check her flight status. He was pleased to see that the plane had left Heathrow on schedule and it seemed to be on track for an on-time arrival. Rafael had checked the flight status every 15 minutes until it was time for him to leave for the airport.

"Don't worry, my flight gets in on Christmas Eve around 4 o'clock – we'll have plenty of time together," Alex tried to reassure Rafael when he had dropped her off at JFK at the end of November.

"And what if your flight is cancelled or delayed?" he had pouted. "I don't want to eat Christmas dinner alone with my mother, _again_."

"Don't be so melodramatic. I will see you on Christmas Eve," Alex had reprimanded him with a twinkle in her eyes before she leaned over from the passenger seat to kiss him.

Alex would undoubtedly be tired after the almost 30 hour trip from Brazzaville. She had connected in Addis Ababa and then again in London. She had probably consumed more than one sketchy airline meal along the way and by no means did Rafael envy her journey. He knew that Alex would be exhausted and that she would sleep a lot during her first week back, but he hoped that she would be able to give him at least a few hours of her presence before she crashed that evening. Rafael figured that it would take Alex about 20 minutes to make her way through customs and into the arrivals area. He decided that he had time to go and buy a mint café mocha for her, a treat which she loved dearly but usually didn't allow herself.

While Rafael waited for the barista to make Alex's drink he nervously thumbed the black square box in his coat pocket and wondered if he was about to make a big mistake. He _still_ could change his mind if he wanted to. His primary fear was that Alex would say _yes _at the airport so as not to make a public scene by refusing him, only to change her mind the next day once she had both feet _and_ mental faculties on terra firma. As the barista handed the warm and aromatic café mocha to Rafael, he thought of the night on which he had first met Alexandra Cabot. Clad in royal purple silk, Alex truly had been the most beautiful woman in the room at Olivia Benson's Christmas party. Even though Rafael usually didn't go for blonds he had been instantly drawn to her.

"Over a year working with SVU and Olivia hasn't worn you out yet? It's a pleasure to meet you," Alex had said with a wry smile and an outstretched hand, both of which Rafael had found utterly charming. If Alex's lighthearted jibe had bothered Olivia, the latter didn't show it. Their hostess had just laughed at Alex's banter and then she had let Rafael and Alex get to know each other while she continued to circulate among her other guests.

Rafael and Alex soon learned that they had both received their JD's from Harvard Law School. Alex had graduated two years _after_ Rafael and while their time in Cambridge had overlapped by one year, neither of them recognized the other's face. After they had situated themselves on Olivia's couch with glasses of mulled wine they had compared notes on various Harvard professors and then they had debated the pros and cons of being a graduate of HLS at length. They had also waxed nostalgic about their favorite restaurants and shops in Cambridge and then discovered that they had _at least _two mutual friends.

Alex and Rafael had opted to walk to a noisy bar by Olivia's apartment in order to continue talking after Olivia had lovingly kicked her guests out around midnight. The more that Alex and Rafael drank the looser their tongues had become. They had talked willingly in hushed tones about past SVU cases. Alex listened sympathetically when Rafael opened up to her about the frustrations and disappointments of prosecuting William Lewis. Olivia Benson was Alex's friend too and so she knew how easy it could be to become emotionally attached to the compassionate and fearless detective. Alex thought that she saw some moisture form in the corner of Rafael's eyes when he spoke of the day that Lewis walked out of the courtroom as a free man. The more Rafael shared with her, the more charming Alex found him.

Rafael's candor had made Alex feel free enough to speak with him about the attempt on her life during the Zapata case. As Rafael listened to Alex describe the period of profound isolation and loneliness that she had experienced in Wisconsin while in Witness Protection, his attraction to her blossomed even further. Here was an accomplished and intelligent woman who could easily hold up her end of a conversation. Rafael had only known Alexandra Cabot for approximately five hours, but he strongly felt that she was his intellectual equal. She was also fairly easy on the eyes in his opinion. So Alex had emotional baggage - _so what_? Rafael had baggage too – it was almost impossible to make it through life without at least a few emotional scars, right?

Somehow, Alex had found herself agreeing to go back to Rafael's apartment with him even though she had no delusions about what he was after. Alex thought that Rafael had a nice smell and look about him. She liked the way that he dressed and carried himself, and so while she normally didn't do _one night stands _nothing about it felt wrong. During the cab ride back to his place, they had held hands and had sat close together with their shoulders touching while talking about life in NYC and how the city had changed in the last ten years.

As Rafael opened the door to his apartment that evening, he couldn't believe how lucky he was. He hoped that his desire wouldn't flag for at least the next twenty five minutes. _DO NOT mess this up, _Rafael's brain had whispered to him as Alex walked towards his bedroom.

_I've only known this man for six hours and yet I am about to sleep with him, _Alex had found herself thinking. _Why? I don't know. Olivia trusts him and speaks highly of him…so he must be a good guy…besides he's cute…just relax…enjoy it…trust your instincts Alexandra._

Alex had slipped out of her purple dress and had slid under the covers of Rafael's bed while he disrobed in front of her making sure to hang each piece of clothing in its proper place. His expensive leather shoes went on a shoe rack. His shirt went into a mahogany hamper. His pants and tie were hung with care in the closet. All the while he _never_ took his eyes off of her. Rafael seemed to enjoy making her wait. Alex didn't doubt that he would be as respectful of her body as he was with his wardrobe. When she finally felt the weight of Rafael's body press onto her frame he had said, "Well, now that I have you in my private court room...what shall your sentence be?"

His words had made Alex frown. She didn't like this kind of role play in the bedroom and wasn't interested in continuing if that was _his thing._ "No perp - lawyer role play shit okay?"

"Sure, if that's what you want," Rafael had said slightly embarrassed, sensitive to the displeasure in her voice.

"Sorry, it just kills the mood if I'm a perp that you're grilling - or vice versa."

"No…I get it. I'm not really into that sort of thing either," Rafael had replied honestly and hoped that he hadn't turned her off. He wanted to see if he could make her laugh again, so he had bent down and whispered into her ear, "But how about if I were Milosh, famous Russian wrestler?"

"I think I'd just prefer Rafael," Alex giggled like a little girl. It was four in the morning and she was very drowsy.

"How about Carlos, suave Latin crooner?"

"Absolutely not!" Alex had responded with her best poker-face while trying not to laugh.

"How about Joey the car mechani—" Rafael began when Alex leaned up and stopped his foolish mouth with a deep kiss.


	2. Chapter 2

Alex woke up the next morning with a surprisingly clear head. Rafael was sleeping on his stomach on the other side of the bed. If he had been a boyfriend or a more familiar lover, Alex would have sidled up to him for body warmth but she didn't want to be presumptuous so she just shivered on the side of the bed that she was on. Alex studied the half of Rafael's face that wasn't buried in the pillow and wondered if he usually woke up in this room alone.

Alex's eyes drifted from Rafael to a large black and white photograph that hung on the wall across from the bed. If Alex wasn't mistaken it was a framed print of a man's shoulder blades and muscular back. The dark shadows of what appeared to be Venetian blinds fell evenly on to a section of the male model's pale skin which made it look like zebra hide. Alex thought that it was beautiful and would have liked to have it in _her_ own apartment. She did think however that it was a curious thing for Rafael to have in _his_ bedroom.

Alex then turned her attention to two small photographs that sat on the bedside table closest to her. The first photograph was of a small beaming boy in a school uniform who was standing in front of a church. He was clutching the hand of an old woman who wore a flower print dress, a small string of pearls, and a purple pill box hat. Alex had only known Rafael Barba for less than 24 hours, but there was no mistaking the little boy's identity. _She is probably his grandmother, _Alex thought, _how cute._

The second photograph seemed to have been taken at a high school graduation as Rafael was wearing a green graduation gown in it. He was flanked by two dark haired boys who were both taller than him. All three youths were smiling from ear to ear – they looked incredibly happy. The two older boys bore absolutely no resemblance to Rafael, so Alex felt that they were not blood relations. She wondered who the other boys were and if Rafael was still close to them.

Alex quietly slipped out from under the covers and walked towards the chair that her dress was sitting on. Just as her fingertips made contact with the purple fabric, Rafael called to her, "You know…I'm really not a fan of one night stands, so I hope that you're not sneaking out."

Alex thought that Rafael had been asleep but he had been aware of her movements the entire time. "No, just trying to find where you keep the coffee," Alex lied and then turned around to face him. Even from a four foot distance, Rafael could see the goose bumps that had started to form on Alex's milky skin. She was only wearing her undergarments and Rafael felt cold just looking at her.

"Come back to bed for a little bit and then I'll take you out for brunch. There is a great little café around the corner called Costazzos. You'll love it."

"I'm not much of a breakfast person," Alex lied again. Breakfast was actually her favorite meal of the day. Alex could not honestly say why she was pushing Rafael away. The sex _had_ been pleasurable. He had given what _she_ had needed while taking what _he_ had needed. Since the shooting, Alex had been shy about baring her body to new partners. If the large scar on her right shoulder had bothered Rafael, he hadn't said anything. Alex was grateful for that. It _had_ been good with him and that is_ precisely_ why Alex hesitated. Too many good things in her life had vanished.

Rafael watched Alex slide her dress over her head and began to feel dissatisfied. He really didn't want her to leave yet. Alex Cabot was the loveliest creature on either side of the fence who he had shared his bed with in over a year. He wanted to savor her _just_ a little bit longer. Rafael hoped that Alex didn't think that it had been his intention for their evening together to be a _hit and run. _Rafael's eyebrows knitted together. "Are you regretting last night?" he asked Alex.

"No…of course not…it was great…you were great—" Alex stopped speaking when she saw Rafael's smug grin. She didn't want to stroke his male ego _too_ much. Alex sat down on the edge of the bed and Rafael scooted nearer to where she was. Even though he had dark circles under his eyes, Alex decided that she liked Rafael's morning face.

"The truth is that I am not a one night stand person either. So, I'm a little confused right now," Alex confessed and then shivered again. The party dress wasn't nearly warm enough to keep her insulated against the cold. Alex glanced out the bedroom window and noticed that it was snowing outside. "It's snowing," she said to her host in a half whisper. Rafael propped his upper body up on his elbows and turned his head to look out the window at the large white flakes that were falling to the ground. It was a lovely and unexpected sight. He turned his eyes back to Alex's trembling form.

"So it is snowing..._all the more_ reason for you to get back under the covers with me. You know, I've been told that certain parts of my body double very nicely as an electric blanket," Rafael told her teasingly. This made Alex laugh, but she remained sitting on the side of the bed. Rafael could see that he was going to have to try a little harder with this woman, but he was willing to put forth the extra effort considering the face and body that Alex possessed.

"What exactly are you confused about?" Rafael prodded her. "I enjoyed last night and if I'm not mistaken you enjoyed it too. So let's continue enjoying each other…no pressure."

"No pressure?" Alex questioned hesitantly.

"None," he responded before pulling her towards him.

* * *

Alex had boarded the plane in Brazzaville with a heavy heart. This was the second time that she had participated in a Neutral Trial Observation Team with Lawyers Without Borders and in Alex's opinion, the trial had been a complete farce. The three Congolese soldiers had denied raping 27 year old Azire Chozba, even though her two children were witnesses to the attack. The Judge would not listen to the children's testimony and had ruled in the soldiers favor. Azire and her children were now living in a women's refugee center because Azire's husband had turned_ her_ out of the house for shaming _him. _Where was the justice in that? In accordance with Lawyers Without Border's bylaws, Alex could not intervene in the trial's proceedings. All that she could do was submit her observation report and analysis to LWOB and hope that international pressure might eventually change the tide of justice in the DRC.

The trial had certainly been a large source of frustration for Alex, but the thought of waking up in bed next to Rafael on Christmas morning had put a small fire in her gut during the weeks that she had spent away from New York. Despite his rough exterior, she knew that he had a soft spot for her in his heart that was growing larger as each day passed. Rafael had e-mailed her every day like he had promised, even it was just to say something droll like, _cookies at the corner market are on sale – hurry home before they are gone!_ Rafael's e-mails had made her feel connected to her city _and_ to him.

When Rafael Barba had said _no pressure, _he had meant it. For the first couple of months, Alex would occasionally meet him for a coffee or for an after-work drink. Sometimes she would go back to his place afterwards and sometimes they would just part ways at whatever café or bar they happened to be at. It had started out as friends with benefits more than anything else.

Then at the end of March, Rafael had asked Alex to co-present a lecture on the ethical considerations of working with special victims that the HLS alumni association had asked him to give. Rafael believed that Alex's involvement would strengthen the presentation as her field experience in the area far outweighed his. Alex was more than happy to help him and when Rafael had gotten busy with a case, she ended up writing over 75% of _his_ lecture. She certainly hadn't argued when he had insisted that her name appear first on the title slide. During the April trip to give the lecture, they had toured parts of Cambridge together that they hadn't seen when they were students. Rafael had even booked lodgings at a quaint bed and breakfast instead of at a traditional hotel. He had more tricks up his sleeve than Harry Houdini and he never failed to surprise Alex.

After they had returned from Harvard, Alex knew that her relationship with Rafael Barba had taken on a different tone. She started turning away dates with other men and by June it had come to a point where _my place _actually meant _his place_. Alex started keeping at least two changes of clothes at his apartment at all times because she would usually end up there at least that many nights per week. By September there was a third photograph on Rafael's bedside table – one of him and Alexandra Cabot.

Upon clearing customs, Alex didn't stop to fix her makeup or even to go to the bathroom. She just wanted to see Rafael's face. It had been almost a month since they had seen each other and she didn't care how travel worn she looked. When BAW 117 had touched down at JFK, Alex promised herself that it would be a good while before she hopped on another plane again. Now that Rafael was in her life, she felt that she had a reason to be grounded in New York.

Alex walked through the automatic doors into the arrivals area and scanned the sea of excited faces for Rafael. After a few moments, Alex finally saw Rafael bundled in his winter coat with a cup of something warm outstretched to her in one hand and what appeared to be a welcome sign in the other. _What a funny man…preparing a welcome sign_ _like it's my first time in New York,_ she thought. Alex didn't have her glasses on and couldn't quite make out what the sign said, but when she took a few more steps towards him and read what he had written, her jaw dropped.

Rafael's eyes danced mischievously; he was clearly enjoying the awkward position that he had put her in. Tears formed in Alex's tired eyes and she shook her head in disbelief. When Alex finally reached the nervous but still smiling Rafael, she leaned over to whisper in his ear. Her lips formed the word slowly and deliberately so that there would be no confusion as to what her answer was. Rafael's smile turned into a brilliant half-moon when the sound of her voice hit his ear drum.

"Are you sure?" Rafael questioned her, wanting to make sure that he had heard her correctly.

Even though Alex was in an ebullient mood, she was not about to give Rafael the satisfaction of saying it twice in such a public place. Instead of answering his question, she looked down at his hand and said, "Is _that_ a mint café mocha that I smell?"

"What else would it be?" Rafael replied with a touch of consternation in his voice. Apparently the long flight had not zapped her sense of humor. She was _not _going to make this easy for him.

"With two shots of espresso?" Now Alex's lips bunched into a playful knot.

"Of course," Rafael sighed.

"And no whipped cream?"

"Zero whipped cream…"

Much to Rafael's chagrin, Alex removed the warm drink from his hands and took a painfully long sip of the much discussed mint mocha. When Alex finally took the cup away from her lips, she seemed very pleased with herself.

Without any hint of sarcasm in her voice, Alex looked at Rafael's inquisitive love-filled face and softly said, "I'm sure."

* * *

AN: This story is as finished as it is going to get. There really is nothing more that I can add. I didn't expect the second chapter to be this long. I hope that it is enjoyed. I've realized that I like the Barba/Cabot ship much more than the Barba/Benson ship. I just find it more enjoyable to write for the former pairing.


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